New York University · BiologySmith Lab
Duncan J Smith · New York, New York
Research Focus
Dr. Duncan J. Smith's lab at New York University focuses on understanding how DNA processes like replication and transcription interact and sometimes conflict with each other. They use yeast as a model to explore the behaviors of helicases—proteins that unwind DNA—and how their activities affect genome integrity, especially in relation to cancer. The lab develops novel methods to map these interactions and aims to provide insights that could help in understanding diseases related to DNA damage.
DNA replicationtranscriptionhelicasegenomic instabilityRNA polymeraseSaccharomyces cerevisiaegenome mappingcell cycle
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how transcription and replication complexes interact during DNA replication.
AIM 02Map the specific sites of helicase activity on genomic DNA.
AIM 03Determine compensatory roles of helicases in DNA processing.
AIM 04Explore the mechanisms behind transcription-replication conflicts.
AIM 05Apply novel mapping techniques to study DNA-protein interactions in live cells.
Skills the Lab Values
DNA extractionyeast geneticsproximity biotinylationhigh-resolution mappingdata analysis in genomicsPCRmolecular cloningbioinformaticsprotein purification
Output against the department
Publications54bottom 13% of dept.898th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.8kbottom 12% of dept.909th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.